Hi, I’m trying to test an independent watchOS app on an Apple Watch Series 6 Cellular that is set up for a child using Apple Watch For Your Kids (Family Setup). My current environment: Apple Watch Series 6 Cellular watchOS 26.6 The Watch is set up for a child using Apple Watch For Your Kids / Family Setup Xcode 26.6 Parent iPhone running iOS 27.0 Developer Mode is enabled on the parent iPhone The Family Setup Watch does not appear as a development device in Xcode/CoreDevice There is no Developer Mode option visible on the Family Setup Watch For comparison, I also have another Apple Watch used for normal development, and that Watch can be detected by the development environment. The issue appears specific to the child’s Family Setup Watch. I would like to understand the Apple-supported development and testing workflow for this configuration. Specifically: Is an Apple Watch set up using Apple Watch For Your Kids / Family Setup expected to be available as a direct Xcode development device? If direct Xcode deployment is not supported, can an independent watchOS app be installed and tested on a Family Setup Watch through TestFlight? If TestFlight is supported, what is the correct workflow for installing the beta on the child’s Family Setup Watch / child Apple Account? Is there another Apple-supported testing or distribution method developers should use for this scenario? I’m specifically asking about an independent watchOS app that can operate without the parent iPhone nearby, rather than a Watch app that depends on an iPhone companion app. I’d also appreciate clarification on the distinction between direct Xcode development deployment and TestFlight/App Store distribution for Apple Watch For Your Kids. Thank you.

I’m validating the officially supported distribution path for an independent watchOS app. Target device Apple Watch Series 6 GPS + Cellular watchOS 26.6 Configured using Apple Watch For Your Kids / Family Setup The Watch belongs to a child Apple Account Managed from the parent/guardian’s iPhone 11 running iOS 27.0 The child does not have their own iPhone Direct development deployment from Xcode is not available in this configuration on my setup. The Family Setup Watch does not appear as a development destination / CoreDevice device and does not expose Developer Mode. Main question Does TestFlight officially support installing a watchOS-only or independently installable watchOS app onto an Apple Watch configured with Apple Watch For Your Kids / Family Setup? If yes: Is installation initiated from TestFlight on the parent/guardian iPhone that manages the Family Watch? Should the Family Setup Watch appear as an eligible Apple Watch target inside TestFlight? Should the child Apple Account or the parent/guardian Apple Account be added as the TestFlight tester? Are there any additional restrictions or requirements specific to Apple Watch For Your Kids / Family Setup? Is Developer Mode required on the Watch for TestFlight installation? I’m specifically asking about an officially supported TestFlight/App Store Connect distribution path, not Ad Hoc distribution, manual IPA installation, private APIs, or unsupported workarounds. Thank you.